Fraud

Luca’s chipper voice continues on while I lower myself to the floor, and quickly loosen all the levers and bolts holding the chair together, leaving them just tight enough to keep the chair from falling apart.

Whoever sits in the chair next is going to crash heavily to the floor, and I smile just to think about it.

There’s no way the chair will hold any weight, so rather than sitting down in it, I push to my feet and step away from the desk, slowly making my way back to the front of the room where Ta

Five minutes pass while Luca finishes her story, my mind skipping back to the begi

“Did you ever find out why they suddenly switched dorm assignments? Was that through the entire building or-“

Luca’s head tilts.

“Actually, no. It was just my room and Everly’s. We both wondered about it, but never really found out what happened.”

I nod my head. “It just seems weird after what my dad said about her being there for a specific reason.”

A light bulb could have gone off over her head and it wouldn’t have been more telling than her expression that I’d just touched on a fact she hadn’t considered.

“Oh, my God. You’re right.”

Of course, I’m right. Unlike them, I’m not yet caught in this game, so I have a clearer view of the players and how the pieces are being shuffled around.

Just then, Ta

He steps up beside me. “Are you ready to go?”

I grab his hand and start walking him toward the elevator.

“It was good seeing you again, Luca.”

Glancing at Ta

Gabriel notices I’m in a mad rush to leave, his eyes sliding my direction with suspicion behind them as he leans forward to push the call button.

The motor hums as the car lifts to our floor. My eyes stay glued to the red numbers by the door, willing it to climb faster. Thankfully the car was only a few floors below us.

“Is there any particular reason we’re practically ru

“None at all,” I lie, refusing to meet his curious stare. My foot is tapping a mile a minute, relief taking over when it’s close.

“What the hell happened to my computer?”

Ta

“Should I be worried about that?”

“Not at all,” I lie again, a heavy breath pouring out of me when the elevator doors open.

Grabbing Gabriel’s hand, I tug him to follow me, both of us standing inside when a loud crash is followed by “Who fucked with my goddamn chair?”

Gabriel squeezes my hand, his lips a thin line.

Before the doors close, Ta

“Hold that fucking elevator.”

Gabriel glances at me and leans over to whisper, “He wouldn’t be pissed off at you for some reason, would he?”

I shake my head and wriggle my fingers at Ta

Turning to Gabe, I blink i

“Who? Me? Why would he be mad at me?”

Gabriel’s laugh is like springtime, only because it’s the real one I rarely hear.

“Is there a reason you didn’t just screw with him?”

He says that like he doesn’t believe I had nothing to do with it.

We reach the bottom floor, and the elevator doors open to reveal the parking garage. Gabe swings out an arm to allow me to step ahead, but once out, he grabs my hand and pulls my back to his chest.

Dipping his head down, he whispers against my ear. “At least let me know why my best friend is going to be after your head.”

Smiling, I can’t help but enjoy the heat of his body against mine.

“When you get a chance, give that Lacey woman a call and send my regards.”

His voice is dangerously rough when he asks, “Should I tell her anything else?”

I nod my head. “Yes. Let her know that the next time Ta

Gabriel laughs again, and I silently wish that I could hear that sound for the rest of my life.

It truly does something to me in the rare moments the real him shines through.